Forbidden Fantasies Bundle(122)
Ryder regarded him steadily. “It saves on the awkward morning-after stuff.”
“Yeah.” Restless, he paced to the window as he sipped coffee. He’d hated like hell leaving her there. But what choice had he had?
The same choices he’d had when he’d dragged her into this mess, a voice at the back of his mind said.
He turned back to Ryder. “Your men are there?”
“They’re waiting for her in the lobby. I sent them as soon as you called and said you were on your way. When she comes down, they’ll explain that Ethan Blair sent them.”
“I want her kept safe,” Jed said.
“You won’t get any argument from me.”
Ryder’s slight emphasis on the word me wasn’t lost on Jed.
“I know. I know that I’m the one who’s put her in danger. But I’m not going to go near her again until it’s over.”
“You don’t think she’ll come looking for you?” Ryder asked.
“No.” Jed took another sip of his coffee. “I told her she’d never see Ethan Blair again.”
Ryder’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t tell her that you and Ethan Blair are one and the same?”
“No. I was going to and then it got complicated.”
Ryder shot him a look. “Sooo…what if she comes looking for Jed Calhoun?”
Jed took another drink of his coffee. “I think she’s over him.”
“According to Sierra, that might not be the case. She lost her concentration at work when you didn’t call her.”
“Sierra said that?” Jed asked.
Ryder nodded. “It got so bad, Sierra decided Zoë needed a night out—that’s why they were at the Blue Pepper. She even arranged for Zoë to borrow some clothes from Sierra’s sister, Rory. They’re about the same size.”
Had she worn that lace top hoping to see Jed again? And what about the red panties? A whirl of emotions he couldn’t quite name shot through him. Or had she worn them hoping to meet someone new? “She may be over Jed Calhoun now that she’s met Ethan Blair.”
“Maybe you should have told her the truth.”
Jed set his mug down on the counter so hard that some sloshed out. “Maybe. I told myself I was thinking about her safety. At first. Then all I was thinking about was her. I can’t be in the same room with her and not lose brain cells. And I can’t seem to keep my hands off of her.” He paused and shot a furious look at his friend. “I don’t expect you to understand. Hell, I barely understand it myself.”
Ryder’s grin spread across his features and turned into a laugh that filled the room. After putting down his mug, he crossed to Jed and patted him on the shoulder. “Oh, I understand all right. The same thing happened to me from the moment that I first set eyes on Sierra. I picked her up in a bar and kissed her before I even introduced myself.”
Some of the anger and frustration in Jed started to ease. An odd kind of warmth moved through him as he thought of Zoë being distracted at work because of him. “So she couldn’t stop thinking about me.”
Ryder grinned at him. “About Jed. I wonder if she’ll be thinking about Ethan now.”
Jed frowned. “Just as soon as I can take a shower, wash the dye out of my hair and ditch these colored contacts, Ethan will be gone and he’s not coming back.”
“Too much competition, huh?”
The look in Jed’s eyes had Ryder holding up both hands defensively. “I won’t say another word. I promise. Just…” He backed away a few steps. “How does it feel to be in competition with yourself?”
Jed fisted his hands at his side. “It sucks.” Especially when he couldn’t go near her as either man.
Ryder’s expression sobered. “Yes, I suppose it would.”
“I have to call her as Ethan Blair and tell her that there are two men in the lobby waiting for her.”
Ryder nodded. “First, why don’t you show me what’s in the envelope your friend Gage sent you? You did bring it?”
Jed drew the envelope out of his pocket.
Ryder spread the contents out on the counter and studied them for a moment. Then he shot a smile at Jed. “If we’re lucky, we should be able to finesse our way into Bailey Montgomery’s office tonight.”
ZOË KNEW EVEN AS SHE drifted up through layers of sleep that she was alone in the bed. Each time that she’d drifted awake before there’d been Ethan’s hard, hot body pressed against hers. And each time she’d turned to him in the night, he’d made love to her again.
Heaven help her, but she wanted him again right now. She stretched out her hand, but all she could feel was cool sheets. And the sun was shining into the room. She could feel the warmth, see it dancing beyond her eyelids. It was morning, and she didn’t want to face it yet.